Mike Moustakas Crossing Sign Retired as Royals Legend Bids Farewell

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A novelty warning sign commemorating Royals legend Mike Moustakas will be retired on Saturday, coinciding with his retirement from baseball. This sign has been a fixture on Rockhill Road since the Royals made their postseason run in 2014.

The reflective yellow, diamond-shaped sign, which reads “MOUSTAKAS XING” and features the silhouette of a moose, hangs from an oak tree near the home of Katie Mabry van Dieren and her husband, Owen van Dieren. “My dad is a 50-year season ticket holder,” Katie shared, reflecting on how the sign came to be. “One of his friends worked for a sign company, and we don’t really know which one of us came up with the idea.”

The couple fondly recalls how her father’s friend crafted three signs: one for himself, one for Katie’s father in Leawood, and the last for the van Dierens. “I don’t even think he knew where we were going to put it,” Owen said, “but that oak tree out there worked out pretty good.” The sign has attracted many visitors who stop to take pictures.

One memorable interaction involved an older man who rang their doorbell one morning. “He said, ‘I’m moving to Santa Barbara to be closer to my family. I have all kinds of paraphernalia. Do you want it? It’s in my car,’” Katie recalled. She accepted a large papier mache moose head that now adorns their home. “Is that Bullwinkle?” Owen joked, seeing the resemblance.

While Moustakas is well-loved, both Katie and Owen have their favorite players from the 2015 World Series Championship team. Owen favors Alcides Escobar. Yet, Moustakas remains a fan favorite, inspiring a light-hearted atmosphere on their street. Justin Shoemaker, who lives nearby, felt prompted to create his own whimsical sign—“PASQUATCH XING”—after Vinnie Pasquantino joined the Royals.

“Just trying to keep the positivity of the Royals theme going,” Shoemaker stated. Since he didn’t have a connection to a sign maker, he designed it online and got it just before the Royals entered the postseason last year. After seeking approval from the van Dierens, he received their enthusiastic support.

The van Dierens retired their sign on Thursday, donating it to the Hall of Fame with the Royals’ blessing. As they bid farewell to the iconic sign, Owen joked about their friends finding their home without it. “I hope they don’t get lost,” he said. “But it’ll be all right. There’ll be something else replacing it before long.”